Let’s go walking outside and remember we belong.
Who We Are
Queer Out Here is an outdoor community creating spaces for LGBTQIA+ people to connect and feel good through nature, adventure and a sense of belonging. Some people come for the hiking, some come for the friendships, most come for a bit of both.
We don’t have a formal membership and there’s no joining process. You just come along to an event once and then you’re part of the club. Every event is a mix of familiar faces and first-timers, people who've done a dozen walks with us and people who found us on Instagram yesterday.
Some people come regularly and have built real friendships here. Some dip in and out depending on life. Some come once and it's exactly what they needed that day. Overall, it's just a group of queer people who like being outside - and that's usually enough common ground to start with.
Events are led by various people depending on what it is, all very welcoming, safe and friendly folk who’ve been involved with Queer Out Here for a while.
Queer Out Here was founded by Ailish Breen (they/them).
Why we exist
We started Queer Out Here because outdoor spaces haven’t always felt accessible or welcoming to queer people - especially if you’re trans or non-binary, or if you didn’t grow up going hiking, or if you don’t have ‘the right gear’, or you don’t see yourself reflected in outdoor culture.
We wanted to change that, and provide something that back in 2020, we didn’t see a lot of AKA queer spaces that weren’t centred on going out and partying. So, we decided to start a hiking group, that over time has grown into something special.
Our overall ethos is that being together in the outdoors is good for you, in lots of different ways. We know that nature is good for the body mind and soul, and queer company makes it even better!
Going outside can’t fix all the struggles that life has to throw at us as queer folks, but it can give us somewhere to breathe, restore ourselves, and remember that joy is available to us too. Ultimately, we're just here to make getting outside easier, and more fun.
What we do
Our free-to-attend community hikes are the heart of everything we do - regular, accessible, social walks for queer people across the North West and beyond. From gentle wellbeing rambles to full-day hikes in the Peak District, these are friendly, beginner-welcoming and designed for people who want fresh air and plenty of good company in equal measure. Alongside these we often run free community social events like a picnic in the park, or a wellbeing walk in the city.
For those who want more of a challenge, we run mountain days led by qualified mountain leaders (think bigger climbs, more remote terrain, longer days).
We also run weekends away and retreats for people who like more time to explore and really connect, in various different parts of the UK, as well as occasional longer trips abroad for those ready to take things further afield!
Alongside our adventures, we offer one-to-one coaching and reflective group experiences for queer people who want dedicated space to think more intentionally about their lives.
Whether you're navigating change, building confidence, or simply trying to reconnect with yourself, these spaces can help you deepen your self-knowledge and forge a path ahead that feels aligned with who you are.
What’s the structure?
Queer Out Here is a community-rooted platform created by Ailish Breen.
Alongside free and low-cost community events, QOH also hosts paid offerings including retreats, coaching programmes, queer mountain days and LGBTQ+ inclusion training delivered by Ailish through their independent coaching and consulting practice.
Income from paid work helps support the sustainability of the wider project, while sales of Queer Out Here merchandise, donations and any pots of funding are ringfenced for free and low-cost activity, through our dedicated community account with Unity Trust Bank.